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[geoffr70]

Hello, I've got my o/s exhaust manifold gasket on order, getting it Wednesday. As I have never done this before I'm just wondering what, apart from the obvious do I need to do? Do I need any sort of sealant, or other parts? (Over £3 for head bolts from dealer - getting them elsewhere!) Does anyone have any handy hints? I understand I need to support the engine and remove one of the mounts - I don't even know what the mount looks like or where it is! Any help would be very appreciated, thanks alot!

[Broomies Mate]

Engine mount can be clearly seen with the bonnet lifted.  Look down that side of the engine, half away along to the chassis leg.  You'll see a round rubber doughnut with a metal bracket sat on top of it.

When you locate it, get under the car and IIRC a 15mm socket will remove it.  Access to this is relatively easy.

The studs are £3?  Well, assuming you snap one, it'll cost a damn site more to remove the broken piece.  I have heard you need to remove the head and have it drilled out. 

[geoffr70]

Thanks for that. Will it be a good idea to replace the engine mount while I'm on? Do I need to replace the bolts or can I reuse them? Thanks again!

[Broomies Mate]

Its not bolts.  There are studs threaded into the head, and a nut holds the manifold on.

This is a job that needs doing on my car.  I wont be attempting it myself, and every garage I have been to has quoted £200+ because of the hazards.

Vx themselves (Dan Harford, Kingswood, Bristol) quoted £336 inc VAT.  I am seriously contemplating it. 


Engine mounts have a shaped piece of metal on the bottom side which locates them into a 'groove' in the chassis leg.  The weight of the engine sits on them in one particular spot.  It will be clear if they have degraded once you get the mount off.  Piss poor design IMO, but hey-ho.

[geoffr70]

Ok thanks for that. Why won't you be attempting it if you don't mind me asking? It surely can't be any harder or take longer than doing the ABS ECU, hopefully!

[Broomies Mate]

Ok thanks for that. Why won't you be attempting it if you don't mind me asking? It surely can't be any harder or take longer than doing the ABS ECU, hopefully!

I wont be attempting it because if a stud or two, or all of them decide to give up, the head has to be removed and each one drilled out.  A very costly and time consuming process.

I agree that £340 quid is an extortionate price, and one I would have completely ignored had I not been to many, many mechanics (some of which I personally know) and had their honest opinion on the job.  The job has just given me a bad feeling, and as such, I am contemplating Vx doing it for me.  Of course, if there are any members on here willing to do it for similar money, and can guarantee I'll have a running car the very next day, then the money is in their pocket.

It's one of those which could go sweet as a nut (if you excuse the pun).  Run into trouble, and your car is off the road for a while, and repair bills will mount. 

[geoffr70]

Oh I see what you mean!! I'll just have to be careful and hope it all goes ok! Hopefully i'll get that sense of satisfaction when it's done!

[Broomies Mate]

Oh I see what you mean!! I'll just have to be careful and hope it all goes ok! Hopefully i'll get that sense of satisfaction when it's done!

I'd love for yours to go smoothly, not for this reason alone, but, it may entice me to try my own.  Probably wont entice me though.  Guess I'm just going to have to grow longer arms, and wear trousers with shallower pockets. 

[geoffr70]

Well I'm not skint but I've got more time than money right now so that's why I'm giving it a bash, and I'll hate doing it but enjoy it when I've finished! lol! I'm steadily getting all the jobs done, and this is my next one.

[Broomies Mate]

Well I'm not skint but I've got more time than money right now so that's why I'm giving it a bash, and I'll hate doing it but enjoy it when I've finished! lol! I'm steadily getting all the jobs done, and this is my next one.

Well, please keep me updated.  It'll be one hell of a HowTo if you have the time and patients to document the process on your spanner wielding journey 

[geoffr70]

Oh yeah good point I didn't think about that! I'll make sure I have my camera ready when i do it and try to make some sort of aide depending on how well it goes!

[Bionic]

Hi m8,
Luckily its not the N/S!
Best I do is to tell you to get some spare studs and nuts in case you do have a whoopsy with a few of them. Its a good idea to get yourself a set of stud extractors too, they are not expensive and you never know when you may need them. Sorry, but its almost a foregone conclusion that you will snap at least one. The downpipe studs and nuts are another possibility for snapping/stripping.
The heatshields can be a nightmare too, I snapped a couple of the tiny bolts on mine getting them off.
ONLY use the genuine GM/VX manifold gasket too, its a 3 layered metal one because believe me you do not want to be doing this job again in a hurry!
I soaked all mine overnight in WD40 before I started and still 'lost' a few.
Lastly, don't just pull them tight - use a torque wrench.
Good luck m8, hope you every success and that you feel brill when its over!
Been there, done that, got the medal!
Bionic

[TECHNOPUG]

I've got mine booked in on Saturday. Considered doing it myself but the aforementioned shearing stud issue has put me off. Also, there is a chance that it's a crack in the manifold and not the gasket.

   Didn't get a quote from my mechanic but he seemed very confident that I could have the car back the same day (also having the centre silencers replaced) so I can't see it being that much.

  Need to order the gasket and studs/nuts today.

Another thread running quotes the following dealer prices:

vauxhall gasket is £8.99 inc VAT, avaliable as a single gasket.

manifold studs £0.39 each inc VAT
Studs £0.67 each inc VAT

[Elite Pete]

The driverside isn't to bad a job. I would say about 4 hours and you will need 4 dowty washers for the coolant bridge, an O-ring for the coolant transfer pipe, an exhaust manifold gasket and a gasket from the manifold to the down pipe.

Teknopug, your being a 96 Omega may have bolts and not nuts between the manifold and downpipe. The bolts need loads of plusgas before you try to undo then

[TECHNOPUG]

Teknopug, your being a 96 Omega may have bolts and not nuts between the manifold and downpipe. The bolts need loads of plusgas before you try to undo then

Thanks for that Pete. Is there anyway of knowing for definite (without) looking whether a "P" plate car will need studs or bolts? Also, will I need to order 4 dowty washers for the coolant bridge, an O-ring for the coolant transfer pipe, an exhaust manifold gasket and a gasket from the manifold to the down pipe for this year of engine?